iDingo: A Diet for the Minimalist

HEALTH, DIET, NUTRITION, FITNESS, WELL-BEING

This is an article I was asked to write for iDingo.

If you’re looking for a proven minimalist diet which accommodates a day off, then look no further than the slow-carb diet.

Created by Timothy Ferriss and popularized by his New York Times, Amazon, and USA Today best-selling book “The 4-Hour Body”, the slow-carb diet prescribes a simple set of guidelines outlined by five underlying rules. The rules are simple:

Refrain from processed carbohydrates

Stick to the same meals

Hydrate carefully

Avoid fruits

Reward yourself with a cheat day

The diet divides permissible food into five categories: animal protein, vegetables, legumes, spices and fats/oils/nuts. A standard meal of this diet consists of one portion each of the former three categories and tiny amounts of the latter two. The diet stipulates you should eat no more than four meals per day. Although Ferriss suggests supplementing the diet with multivitamins, it isn’t essential. One of the more motivating factors of sticking to this diet is that it allows for one entire cheat day per week.

Ferris further explains why certain foods should be avoided while on the diet:

Fruit should be avoided due their fructose content which is known to increase blood sugar levels as well as increases in iron absorption which in turn reduces copper and other mineral levels. Tomatoes and up to 1 cup (150g) of avocados are exempt from this rule, however.

Dairy should be restricted to only cottage cheese as almost all other dairy products possess a low glycemic index, resulting in a drop in insulin levels which in turn adversely affects weight loss. However, cottage cheese possesses lower levels of lactose and high levels of the protein casein.

As with most diets, the slow-carb diet, does not allow any room for fried foods. The reason being, fried foods are high in calories and low in nutrition. Furthermore, fried foods often contain bread crumbs which violates rule number one.

After years of research and hundreds of interviews with doctors, athletes and drug-salesman, Ferris, a self-proclaimed “human guinea pig”, stands by the regime. He offers some guidance to help abide by the plan long enough to see results.

Ovo-lacto vegetarians can avoid eating meat and still follow the diet, however, meat is highly recommended. If not, whey protein powder is said to be a suitable substitute.

Eat plenty of vegetables, particularly those rich is protein such as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, as well as spinach, asparagus, peas, green beans, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Healthy fats are perfectly fine. Olive oil can be used for low-heat cooking, while canola (grapeseed) oil and macadamia oil can be used for high-heat cooking. Butter and ghee are also permitted, along with certain types of nuts. Dairy-free creamer is fine, provided only 1-2 teaspoons are consumed per day.

Up to 2 glasses of red wine per day is acceptable. Naturally, the diet recommends drinking dry wines over sweeter wines.

For soda lovers, the diet does provide a small allowance of 450ml (16 ounces) of diet soda per day.

All types of legumes are recommended including lentils, red beans, black beans, pinto beans and soybeans.

The diet allows the consumption of small amounts of salt and herbs.

Eating fish, beef, chicken breasts and chicken thighs are encouraged due to their high protein content as are eggs.

Ferris urges to eat until you’re full and not to count calories. Although he advises against snacks, if you happen to be hungry between meals, he recommends eating a small protein-only meal. Furthermore, he suggests eating slowly by taking at least half an hour to eat meals as this allows the body to decrease its glycemic response.

Undeniably, the best part of this diet is that you are permitted to eat and drink anything your heart desires on your once a week cheat day without any restriction. Perhaps surprisingly, there is a method to the madness, as evidence suggests a cheat day can help speed metabolism and lower hunger by increasing the hormone leptin.

There you have it then, the slow-carb diet: for the minimalist who wants the odd day off. A no-nonsense eating plan with just the right amount of flexibility.